Picker.



' W. OLIVER.

PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1309.v 983.92?.

Patented Feb. 14, v1911.

WALTER OLIVER, OF BROAD BROOK, CONNECTICUT.

PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1911.

AppIicaton led April 13, 1909. Serial No. 489,732.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER OLIVER, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Broad Brook, Connecticut, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Pickers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is designed to provide a selfoiling picker for a powerloom, and I carry out my invention by utilizing the picker as a carrierfor the oil box or lubricant holder, the oil being fed from the holderthrough an opening in t-he picker to the surface of the picker rod.

The picker, which is of rawhide, travels at high speed on the pickerrod, the result being that the rod is heated, and unless welllubricated, the picker binds. Ordinarily, the common practice is tolubricate the rod by putting oil thereon mechanically, but this not onlyis a waste of oil, but the first sweep of the picker practically clearsthe rod of oil. By providing the picker, as in my invention, with an oilcontainer or holder, the oil is fed gradually to the rod at the point ofcontact between the rod and the picker, and the feeding may becontrolled to meet the demands or requirements. I thus save oil; the oilis put where it is most effective; the strain upon the picker sticks islessened; and power is also saved, as very little power is required topick on a well oiled rod as compared with a heated rod where binding isfrequent.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown, in plan View in Figure l, aform of picker of ordinary construction embodying one form of myinvention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 3 a rear view; Fig. 4is an end view of a modification; and Fig. 5 a sectional view of themodification.

In these figures, the holder or carrier for the lubricant is onlyillustrative, and I do not limit myself to the exact construction shownnor to the location of the reservoir. In the form shown in Figs. l, 2and 3, A representsl the usual rawhide picker; B is a metal cylinder ofany suitable form of construction held, for instance, as by wires O. Thereservoir is of such size as to hold a suitable amount of oil or otherlubricant, and a screw cap D closes the opening to the reservoir. A feedopening E extends from the bottom of the reservoir through the materialof the picker to the opening therein fitted to receive the picker rod.The screw cap is fitted loosely enough to allow air to pass between itsthreads into the oil receptacle to permit the flow of oil. The blow ofthe picker and the frictional contact with the rod is sufficient to keepthe rod well lubricated. By screwing the cap down until its head coversthe opening, the supply of air is cut 0E and the feed of oil stopped.The amount of oil delivered may be controlled by moving the head more orless away from the top of the opening.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a preferred coni struction. In these gures, Iembed the reservoir B in the material of the picker so that it isthoroughly protected from all liability of displacement. Otherwise, theconstruction is as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3.

The advantages of my invention are apparent. The moving part carryingthe lubricant applies the oil at the proper point with the leastexpenditure of oil, and thus saves oil and prevents the picker stickingfor the want of lubrication, and this, in turn, saves imperfections inthe fabric being woven. A less powerful blow is required to drive theshuttle across the loom, and there is less liability of the breaking ofthe picker sticks. I may also construct in the leather of the picker achamber, lined with metal, or unlined; to hold a heavy lubricant; andcommunicating with the picker-rod by an opening such as is abovedescribed.

What I claim is A picker having' an oil reservoir carried thereby, withan opening therefrom for feeding the oil directly to the picker rod,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER OLIVER.

Vitnesses:

G. L. GOETTLER, E. W. BURD.

